Unidentified Virus Circulating - And We Currently Have It

We are working through having every member of our family get sick - from baby to sisters, to mom/dad - with the girls now fine and well, and the baby largely on the mend.

Baby had been sick for 10 days or so with confirmed Influenza A. His fever broke finally, and beyond the cough/sore throat he also developed an ear infection along the way. That was treated by antibiotics, so, aside from duration and him not wanting to eat or do anything but nurse on mom, he’s seemingly on the mend.

The girls felt run down, cough, sore throat, fatigue, etc. but were back in action after 4-8 days. Other than being lethargic, they were pretty unscathed.

Mom is wrecked. Fever of +101.5 if unmedicated, and around 100 with Advil. Sinus pain, dry cough, raging sore throat, low appetite, very stiff neck, zero energy - toast. She also has the odd symptom of stomach discomfort but no “need to go” - and not full or bloated either. Ears hurt. It’s not good.

I (no jinx) remain relatively unscathed. No fever, minor runny nose but not unusually so for this time of year, have a minor cough that isn’t productive, and RHR/HRV/02 utilization/respiratory rate is all fine and normal (no jinx).

I took my wife to an urgent care this morning at her request given 7 days of fever. We ruled out COVID yesterday with home tests - not one of us tested positive.

So, that’s the preamble to set the table for this -

Apparently, the providers don’t know what this virus is and it’s VERY prevalent right now. But, they know what it isn’t. Meaning:

- it’s not COVID
- It’s not RSV
- It’s not Flu A/B
- It’s not Strep
- It’s not Bronchitis
- It’s not an accurate sinus infection/ear infection/etc.

Per the provider, they are seeing “a large number of patients” who have this virus (they confirmed it’s viral). Based on our lived experience, the virus seems to behave like a mashup of the diseases listed above. It also:

- can’t be treated with anti-vitals or flu meds.
- Gives most people a fever for at least 5 days to a week- sometimes a high one (from lived experience and provider commentary) - and is now known to last longer than a week in many cases.
- Presents with symptoms ranging from sinuses, to ears, to cough, to upset stomachs, to other pains.
- Produces the classic green snot.
- Noticeable swelling of throat/upper airways w/partial closure/hard to swallow.
- Presents the body aches/pains/etc. of the flu.
- Serious fatigue/exhaustion and you can’t really power through it.
- Chest tightness, some shortness of breath.
- Muscle weakness and stiffness.

It’s pretty aggressive.

My wife said she cannot ever remember feeling this sick - certainly never being this sick and not knowing what it is that’s causing it.

We had a family member go down with a gnarly illness about 2 weeks ago. They said it was very bad, like miserably sick, but now they’re on the other side of the illness and still have a scratchy throat but are otherwise OK.

The provider said my wife should start feeling better in 2 days. So, you’re looking at a 10 day run with this virus, give or take. Recommendation was to go home, rest, hydrate, and let it run it’s course.

Given the severity, the alarming part is that the provider didn’t know what it is, and it’s now a common occurrence. However, they do seem to know roughly how long it runs for.

I have noted the fatigue more today. One minute I feel great, the next I feel weaker and like I need to rest. My heart elevated quickly, too, but also recovers quickly.

I have a gut feeling that this is like what happened in 2020. I got pretty sick in February 2020 before COVID was an official thing. Bounced back and moved on.

We now have an unidentified virus that they won’t suggest a thing more than Tylenol and nasal spray for, but, we know it lasts 10 or so days in many symptomatic patients.

Since it’s my body, I’m treating myself with NCA, Vitamin D and E, Quercetin,and my other standard anti-inflammatory herbal supplements. Proactively using Xylitol spray (I use it daily in the morning) to keep stuff from building up. I drink several liters of water daily, so, I can confirm I’m hydrated. That’s not a recommendation, rather, it’s my way of keeping inflammation down without prescription medication.

We’ll see what it turns out to be, but, I could see the illness taxing the pulmonary system of those who smoke, who are dehydrated, or who are in otherwise poor health. My wife said this is 5x worse than COVID for her, “5x worse at least - more than that probably”. She noted that COVID came and went for her besides the body aches but it was over in a couple days. This sucker gives you more symptoms and sticks around for a lot longer. She has done almost nothing this week as a result of this illness, and I’ve slowed down the last few days, too.

Will update as we progress - could be nothing - could be something. We’re in uncharted waters, apparently, either way.

Here’s to hoping for nothing. 🥂

a reply to: VulcanWerks

Prayers for your family to get well soon. Especially the kids!

I got over it last week!

It knocked me down for 2 weeks its really nasty, were seeing it alot in the ERs up here, its a rough one but they are going to try to use this as another lockdown emeergency

And if youre watching theyre already hyping whats happening in China

Get ready for round 2 of lockdowns

Dont believe the hype people, FIGHT IT!

As a nurse im telling you, UP your vitamin C, take zinc semi daily, and take vit d3 every single day regardless if youre sick or not!

Pay attention to your breathing if youre getting a lot of chest congestion sleep elevated to avoid any pneumonia.

Its the small things that help!

Pay attention though because whatever this is seems to exacerbate prior conditions so keep an eye on those.

Where are you located? If not UK, then it’s circulating here too

I said this at the beginning of Covid. Novel human infecting viruses are created daily. Most don't circulate widely, but each human is a lab for new viruses to develop inside.

Take this study for instance:
www.news-medical.net...

A groundbreaking Tel Aviv University study has discovered about 100,000 new types of previously unknown viruses - a ninefold increase in the number of RNA viruses known to science until now. These viruses were discovered in global environmental data from soil samples, oceans, lakes, and other ecosystems.

Also, every viral sickness is a variant of a variant. No one ever passes a completely identical virus to another person. It is always undergoing mutation.

a reply to: VulcanWerks

You could be correct, what country and the general area are you in

originally posted by: Jagman72
a reply to: VulcanWerks

Prayers for your family to get well soon. Especially the kids!

Thank you!

The kiddos are more-less fine now. Baby boy is still getting his appetite back but he’s 80% himself again (no jinx).

originally posted by: CrazyWater
I got over it last week!

It knocked me down for 2 weeks its really nasty, were seeing it alot in the ERs up here, its a rough one but they are going to try to use this as another lockdown emeergency

And if youre watching theyre already hyping whats happening in China

Get ready for round 2 of lockdowns

Dont believe the hype people, FIGHT IT!

As a nurse im telling you, UP your vitamin C, take zinc semi daily, and take vit d3 every single day regardless if youre sick or not!

Pay attention to your breathing if youre getting a lot of chest congestion sleep elevated to avoid any pneumonia.

Its the small things that help!

Pay attention though because whatever this is seems to exacerbate prior conditions so keep an eye on those.

Excellent suggestion IMO.

I take 5k IUs of VitD daily. I have spent my entire life outside whenever the sun is out and low VitD impacts me.

Zinc is gnarly but it works. In fact, I’ll go take some now. Good suggestion! 😎

originally posted by: putnam6
a reply to: VulcanWerks

You could be correct, what country and the general area are you in

I am in the Pacific Northwest, USA.

I don’t know if we would lock down over this. We’ll see.

The other, other, other issue this raised for me is… why do I now know 2 people who had this (just got more info from a friend) and oddly both have some sort of sickness (though nowhere near as bad) a week later?

Weird stuff.

Everyone I know has had this in the past couple of weeks, middle of USA.

I woke up one day stuffed as could be, slept 21/24 hours and literally couldn’t keep my eyes open the few times I tried to wake up. Next day a little less fatigued, still stuffed. Next day I was fine, just a little stuffy. Weird part and why I’m commenting is the comment about ear infection - I can never remember having an ear infection in my adult life, and got a nasty one with this. Ear/chest congestion even for a week + after feeling better seems to be a common indicator.

Does seem to be a bit worse for older folks and lasts a bit longer, most are kicking it in a couple of days though.

I am so glad you made this thread! I got very sick over the thanksgiving holiday to where I couldn’t even make the 2 hour drive to my brother’s house for thanksgiving to see the rear of the family.

I ran a 101 temp for 3 days. The first night I came down with horrible stomach problems. On the toilet over and over all night. The best day was the shivers. I had my thermostat at 76 degrees and laid on my couch with jeans and a sweater with a comforter and shivered all night. I could not get warm.

Then the next night came the hot sweats which was a good sign since it meant I was breaking the fever. Make sure you have the HUGE bottle of Ibuprofen if you get this I was eating them like candy. No appetite for 3 days but drank a crap ton of Gatorade. Gatorade is a life saver and not the diet Gatorade you have to get the ORIGINAL with sucralose and electrolytes.

On the the2nd day I went to urgent care and it’s like 7 minutes from my house and it took more energy to make that drive than I could ever believe. I say in the urgent care for 5 hours to see a doctor. There was 35 cars in the parking lot full of sick kids and adults waiting. It was absolutely nuts.


So the whole time I was there I was thinking ok I finally got COVID or it’s INFLUENZA TYPE B since that is what’s going around West Virginia where I live.

I tested negative on the PCR rapid test Negative for all Flu Type A and Type B , RSV and COVID.

The doctor was baffled and had no idea what was going on so he gave me Tamiflu which I took. At first I was like how is this going to work since I don’t have the flu but because I came to the office in the 32 hour window he said le ts try it it can’t hurt.

I started feeling better the next day but I think it was also because ever since Covid started I take every day large doses of ZINC, vitamin D3 and C and Nascent Iodine and Magnesium.

I had a fever, no energy AT ALL. And stomach problems and shivers and sweated 4 pounds off my body in my bed.
This virus whatever it is KNOCKS u out. You have to take care of yourself with this one.

originally posted by: GenerationGap
I said this at the beginning of Covid. Novel human infecting viruses are created daily. Most don't circulate widely, but each human is a lab for new viruses to develop inside.

Take this study for instance:
www.news-medical.net...

A groundbreaking Tel Aviv University study has discovered about 100,000 new types of previously unknown viruses - a ninefold increase in the number of RNA viruses known to science until now. These viruses were discovered in global environmental data from soil samples, oceans, lakes, and other ecosystems.

Also, every viral sickness is a variant of a variant. Now one ever passes a completely identical virus to another person. It is always undergoing mutation.

When I graduated from a prestigious Mid-west University, the Biology 416 class that I took, taught us via our text books and professor, that viruses do mutate, but get weaker when they do. When a natural virus mutates, it gets weaker.
Man made ones are released to reinfect, but then they too, mutate and get weaker.
Viruses do not mutate and get stronger, never.

It looks like there are now so many Covid variants circulating and interacting, the World Health Organization has stopped monitoring them all-together.

Known variants before monitoring stopped, in early Nov 2022: www.who.int...

originally posted by: Violater1

originally posted by: GenerationGap
I said this at the beginning of Covid. Novel human infecting viruses are created daily. Most don't circulate widely, but each human is a lab for new viruses to develop inside.

Take this study for instance:
www.news-medical.net...

A groundbreaking Tel Aviv University study has discovered about 100,000 new types of previously unknown viruses - a ninefold increase in the number of RNA viruses known to science until now. These viruses were discovered in global environmental data from soil samples, oceans, lakes, and other ecosystems.

Also, every viral sickness is a variant of a variant. Now one ever passes a completely identical virus to another person. It is always undergoing mutation.

When I graduated from a prestigious Mid-west University, the Biology 416 class that I took, taught us via our text books and professor, that viruses do mutate, but get weaker when they do. When a natural virus mutates, it gets weaker.
Man made ones are released to reinfect, but then they too, mutate and get weaker.
Viruses do not mutate and get stronger, never.

THIS….

I wonder if the timing is related to the Thanksgiving travel having run its course. I am in the midwest and have been super lethargic and stuffy since Christmas. I just returned from a trip to the FL Everglades and Keys on the 22nd so might have picked up airplane schmoo... It reminds me of what I had just prior to Covid being a thing and that was tested negative for Flu A and FLu B and Covid was not well known or testable then. Had me down for about 10 days and half of them I spent in alternating chills and body sweats with little reprive from any apsirin / advil etc.

originally posted by: VulcanWerks

originally posted by: putnam6
a reply to: VulcanWerks

You could be correct, what country and the general area are you in

I am in the Pacific Northwest, USA.

I don’t know if we would lock down over this. We’ll see.

The other, other, other issue this raised for me is… why do I now know 2 people who had this (just got more info from a friend) and oddly both have some sort of sickness (though nowhere near as bad) a week later?

Weird stuff.

I mentioned in another thread my vaxxed and boosted daughter and fiancee both were in town from Ohio late 20s, and they were both sick as hell and they are complete health nuts. The 3 of us here were really worried we would get sick but we never did, whatever they had it wasn't Covid but even though we isolated them for a day it can be to transmissible we were around them a lot. All of us are certainly in a risk group.

originally posted by: putnam6

originally posted by: VulcanWerks

originally posted by: putnam6
a reply to: VulcanWerks

You could be correct, what country and the general area are you in

I am in the Pacific Northwest, USA.

I don’t know if we would lock down over this. We’ll see.

The other, other, other issue this raised for me is… why do I now know 2 people who had this (just got more info from a friend) and oddly both have some sort of sickness (though nowhere near as bad) a week later?

Weird stuff.

I mentioned in another thread my vaxxed and boosted daughter and fiancee both were in town from Ohio late 20s, and they were both sick as hell and they are complete health nuts. The 3 of us here were really worried we would get sick but we never did, whatever they had it wasn't Covid but even though we isolated them for a day it can be to transmissible we were around them a lot. All of us are certainly in a risk group.

How long ago did they visit?

The incubation period appears to be 7-10 days.

originally posted by: evc1shop
I wonder if the timing is related to the Thanksgiving travel having run its course. I am in the midwest and have been super lethargic and stuffy since Christmas. I just returned from a trip to the FL Everglades and Keys on the 22nd so might have picked up airplane schmoo... It reminds me of what I had just prior to Covid being a thing and that was tested negative for Flu A and FLu B and Covid was not well known or testable then. Had me down for about 10 days and half of them I spent in alternating chills and body sweats with little reprive from any apsirin / advil etc.

This is similar to what you had, I think.

I’ll say this - if we got a new COVID variant that is somehow equivalent to the original strain that comes out of China (if almost certainly would have to) and this unnamed virus is circulating at the same time, if someone got both they’d potentially be in for a hell of a time - particularly in the winter for at risk groups.

My wife and I both had our primary COVID vaccinations - my experience with which has been documented on this site. Our family member got absolutely smoked by this is vaxxed and twice boosted. She had it worse than my wife, but, my wife’s time is no walk in the park at all - and my wife is a tough cookie (just don’t ever call her a cookie, because, we’ll, she’s a tough cookie).

a reply to: VulcanWerks

I'm in Ohio and I've had this crud for about a week. I've was bedridden with zero energy, a bad cough, no fever, no appetite, clear head but did wake up a couple times drenched in sweat. I would have a coughing fit and it would wipe me out. I would get very light headed and would have to sit and rest. This thing hit me hard. I am unvaxxed and most of my family are the same except one who was required because of her job in healthcare. On a lark I took the government Covid test which was negative. I took nyquil and tylenol along with my daily regimen of Vitamins D, K, C, NAC, quercetin. My wife, on the other hand, got a mild case. Everyone who has had this has recovered and I expect it to be gone in another day or two. At least my appetite came back.

a reply to: putnam6

Many medical professionals are saying the sickness are "viral" in nature, without actually confirming this via tests.

If they can't identify the exact virus, they're just guessing, according to: www.merckmanuals.com...